More power, more transparent

PUTTING an end to the relentless jueteng problem in the country is definitely on the main agenda of newly-appointed Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. But at the number one spot of his plan of action, which will in fact partly address the illegal numbers game, is empowering the local government units (LGUs).

That increase in power for LGUs include more control over their funding, particularly the internal revenue allotment (IRA), which comes from the national government. That is wonderful news because it would mean that our local government leaders will now be able to more freely address the particular needs of the communities under them, which is in the first place the main objective of the decentralization program as contained in the LGU law.

And to make sure that that is exactly what will happen — instead of aggravating the level of corruption with local leaders having more freedom to pocket more money for their personal gain — Robredo, himself once a long-serving LGU official with awards and recognitions to back up his acclaimed performance, wants a corresponding improvement in transparency.

One of his suggestions is that LGUs maximize their website as a venue for reporting the accounts of the municipality, city or province. That is well and good but many areas and a significant percentage of the population still do not have easy access to this modern technology and so a hard copy should still be made freely available to the people. If and when the Freedom of Information Act is finally passed, this will further open the reporting policies in government.

In addition, a regular local forum could be set up for presenting these reports to give the people a chance to raise questions. The citizens, especially the professionals and the seniors with their expertise and experience, can give a few hours of their time by scrutinizing these reports as representatives of the people.

Our LGU leaders, having established the public’s trust by being voted into office, do deserve to have more power over our public funds to be able to dispense their mission of serving the people. But at the same time, they must also be made to feel a burning need to be responsible and accountable for every centavo spent under their watch.

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